RZA – Nerdisthttp://nerdist.com
Thu, 22 Feb 2018 02:36:08 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.4RZA Directing Iron Fist, SAG Awards Winners, and More TV Newshttp://nerdist.com/rza-marvel-iron-fist-sag-awards-2017-winners-tv-cap/
Mon, 30 Jan 2017 17:30:35 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=475532The weekend has come and gone, and it’s time to get back in the swing of things. And by things, I mean work. But distractions are okay and even encouraged. Dive into today’s TV-Cap to learn about the RZA directing an episode of Iron Fist, to see some CGI magic from A Series of Unfortunate Events, to get a highlights reel of Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards winners, and more.

The RZA and Marvel.Finn Jones recently talked to Extra on Facebook Live and took questions from fans, and while doing so, he talked about Danny Rand’s playlist and revealed the director of the sixth episode of the Netflix Marvel series: the RZA. Yep. He said, “Actually one of our episodes was directed by the RZA himself. Episode six. So yeah there’s a very close tie with hip hop and the Iron Fist series.” Hear it directly from Jones in the above video at about 4:22 and stay tuned to listen to him discuss working with the RZA. [Nerdist]

Wrestling Down-Low. Into WWE? Even if you’re not, our very own Mikey thinks you’ll enjoy this year’s Royal Rumble. Learn why here at Nerdist.

Awww! This one’s for you, Mystic Falls enthusiasts. Nina Dobrev recently announced she’ll be reprising her role of Elena Gilbert in the series finale of The Vampire Diaries, and she’s apparently working on filming it now. Series executive producer Kevin Williamson shared the above photo of himself, Dobrev, and Paul Wesley. It’s bittersweet. [TVLine]

Back to Hawkins. Is it time for season two of Stranger Things yet? I wish. The debut of the next round of the Netflix series isn’t happening anytime super soon. However, we know a little about what’s ahead. Learn everything we know about season two so far (and keep the page bookmarked because it will be updated with news whenever said news happens).

Martians Are Coming. The February 6 episode of Supergirl will see J’onn J’onzz face White Martians. Again. They try to kidnap M’gann, and he’s not having it. A poster teasing “The Martian Chronicles” makes it look like he’ll get assistance from Kara. Surely they’ll be strong enough to stop the White Martians, right? [CBR, Image: The CW]

You’re a Winner. The 23rd annual SAG Awards aired Sunday night, and I want to share a few of the television category winners with you. Stranger Things won Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series, Claire Foy and John Lithgow both took home acting awards for The Crown, Orange Is the New Black scored in Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series, and Game of Thrones won Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Comedy or Drama Series. Get the full list of winners at People.

I Am the Brick. This isn’t exactly news, but it’s too fun not to share. Kyle Roberts used LEGO minifigs and toys to make a stop motion version of the intro for Batman: The Animated Series. I’m on board with a whole remake of the series in LEGO form.

Before and After. Netflix’s A Series of Unfortunate Events went practical for their sprawling interior sets, but of course the series also featured some CGI. Zoic worked on enhancing the drama, and they’ve released a VFX reel showing before and afters. They worked on backgrounds, some creatures, and the baby among other things. [Nerdist]

Different Zombies. Netflix’s Santa Clarita Diet is about two married realtors in southern California. I know. Not that strong of a hook. But, the catch is that the wife becomes a zombie. How does the twist work? Victoria has a review of the series that debuts February 3 right this way.

Are you planning to watch Santa Clarita Diet? Head to the comments and tell me your thoughts on that or anything else from today’s TV-Cap.

Featured Image: Netflix

]]>Finn Jones Talks IRON FIST Inspiration and the RZA’s Involvementhttp://nerdist.com/finn-jones-talks-iron-fist-inspiration-and-the-rzas-involvement/
Mon, 30 Jan 2017 04:00:56 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=475422In 2012, the RZA took his love of martial arts films to the next level by starring in and directing The Man with the Iron Fists, as well as its sequel three years later. Therefore, it’s fitting that the rap star has continued to build his martial arts cred by directing an episode of Marvel’s Iron Fist series on Netflix.

Iron Fist star Finn Jones revealed RZA’s involvement with the series while taking questions on Facebook from Extra. “So before I started the role, I actually made a playlist on my Ipod of songs that Danny Rand would listen to,” explained Jones. “It’s a lot of kind of ’90s hip hop, like De La Soul, Jurassic 5, Tribe Called Quest, Wu Tang Clan. Like that kind of music is what Danny’s really jamming to. And we feature that in the series. And actually one of our episodes was directed by the RZA himself. Episode 6. So yeah there’s a very close tie with hip hop and the Iron Fist series.”

Jones noted that the RZA’s episode will be called “Immortal Emerges from Cave,” which suggests that it may depict some of the key moments from Iron Fist’s origin. Without spoiling too much for fans who are new to the character, Danny Rand’s battle in the cave directly led to his ability to channel the power of the Iron Fist (and there might be a dragon involved). Jones also said that that RZA was “really super chill” on the set, and added that he “has a really good vision of what he wants. And he really understands that genre, the martial arts genre.”

Additionally, Jones cited The Immortal Iron Fist series by Ed Brubaker, Matt Fraction, and David Aja, as one of his favorite Iron Fist comics and part of his inspiration for playing Danny Rand on the show. So far, most of what we know about the live-action series appears to be based on Iron Fist’s early appearances in the ’70s. The Immortal Iron Fist was a comic that greatly expanded the mythology behind the character by introducing previous wielders of the Iron Fist and the “Tournament of the Seven Capital Cities of Heaven” storyline, which was simply amazing. The first season of Iron Fist may not get to that otherworldly martial arts tournament, but it would be perfect for a second season storyline. We’d even love to see RZA’s take on that!

Iron Fist‘s first season will debut on Netflix on Friday, March 17.

Are you excited to see RZA’s take on Iron Fist? Unleash your thoughts in the comment section below!

Image: Netflix/Marvel TV

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]]>Aphex Twin Delivers New Beats and More at Houston’s Day for Night 2016 (Photo Review)http://nerdist.com/aphex-twin-delivers-new-beats-and-more-at-houstons-day-for-night-2016-photo-review/
Tue, 20 Dec 2016 18:30:08 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=464675Endless immersive installations, a cacophony of live music from every corner, crazy weather, and a whole lot of dancing–welcome to Day for Night 2016. Yes, the hype was real for Aphex Twin’s return and the U.S. premiere of Björk Digital, but there were plenty of surprises waiting inside this curated hybrid festival. Brace yourself for all the details and our top picks in the awesome photo gallery below courtesy Free Press Houston.

The second annual end-of-the-year festival deep in the Downtown heart of Houston, TX is still working out some kinks. (VIP inconsistency seemed to be the major issue this year.) But it took some bold steps into the future of not only music festivals, but music in general. It was basically a free for all of events and sounds placed in the hands of attendees. What they listened to and how they spent their time at Day for Night was theirs for the taking, a curated experience within a curated festival. And after the initial jolt of uncertainty, the crowds slowly realized that they weren’t on a leash—they could pretty much go anywhere and do anything.

Tundra. Photo by Theo Civitello courtesy Free Press Houston

Quick real talk: lines are the bane of every festival-goer’s life. The Day for Night masses were unleashed upon the festival grounds on schedule in the afternoon and allowed re-entry only once per day; at least mandatory bag-checks were quick, albeit thorough. Multiple food, bar, and bathroom lines were predictably long too. Food trucks were located in their own area away from passing crowds, which was helpful. But one particular line dominated just about everyone’s life over the weekend: the stand-by line for the highly-anticipated Björk Digital exhibit.

Day for Night ticket holders had to reserve their free Björk Digital spot days ahead to get into this super intimate shared space in groups of 25 for up to 140 minutes. Shocker—reservations sold out in under an hour of general release, causing fans to wait in a massive first-come-first-serve line that spanned the entire first floor during its extended open-and-close hours for both days. Those who camped out for upwards to 10 hours in line experienced something truly special once inside: five rooms of intense Björk feels in full VR.

Björk Digital. Photo by Julian Bajsel courtesy Free Press Houston

Some peak VR creations from the exhibit include NotGet VR, which took viewers into a spellbinding galactic realm with a life-size mutating Björk avatar singing and dancing to this bewitching song, and the interactive Oculus Rift experience of one of Björk’s most empowering songs, Family. Vibrant female genitalia in cosmic form included. Fair warning, a common complaint from more VR-savvy attendees was that the output quality of some of the exhibits wasn’t running at 100% on the Samsung headsets. For the visually impaired like myself, headsets for extended periods definitely aren’t a comfy fit with glasses on.

The Preview Party on Friday and open Sunday evening performance came complete with Björk’s unique DJ set of beats sans her vocals. Fighting jetlag and wearing a glowing purple face mask on Friday and a elaborate microscopic red one on Sunday, she shimmied around her covered jungle of potted plants. Over time, people realized that, like Aphex Twin the next day, Björk wasn’t about making this performance about her image. It was 100% about the music and surrounding space.

Another hyped headline act was the stage return of Richard D. James a.k.a. Aphex Twin—the undisputed landmark performance for Day 1. What made this IDM set so special was the exclusivity of it all. The hype was real. Five hundred copies of a mysterious 12-inch vinyl of his were sold at Merch tables; no explanations were given about its tracks, but it blindly sold out within hours. Turns out this super exclusive album is a two-track pre-recorded album featuring new music used during his set! (Good luck hunting down a copy for under the selling price of $30!)

The opening visuals over cryptic beats included various flight-control maps and animated missiles landing on multiple major cities, signaling the hypothetical end of days with that iconic Aphex Twin gargled laughter over layers and layers of sound breaking through. Rumor has it that Björk joined the audience during the first minutes of Aphex Twin, dancing up a storm… literally, as about 30 minutes in a predicted cold front hit Houston hard and quick. (I’m a firm believer that the Icelandic deity known as Björk controls the weather now.) It goes without saying that the crowd went wild during those 20 minutes of cold rain, bright lights, and unfiltered Aphex Twin.

He remained hunkered down under a tarp over his set-up, enigmatically delivering a steady stream of well-crafted tracks. His trademark facial manipulations won the crowd over with severe digital manipulations on the faces of Brad Pitt and Ryan Gosling as well as a host of Lone Star names including Rick Perry, Ted Cruz, members of the Texans and Rockets, and (my favorite) a squished-up Walker Texas Ranger a.k.a. Chuck Norris!

Aphex Twin. Photo by Julian Bajsel courtesy Free Press Houston

On the light side, the majority of the phenomenal installations at Day for Night were housed inside, as only a few projections could withstand Houston’s erratic humidity and, later, frigid weather outside. London-based United Visual Artists gained hype with their intimate piece, Musica Universalis (see below), a meditative conceptual installation in pitch-black with rotating lights and ambient sounds inspired by the “harmony of the spheres.”

On the sound side, artists weren’t exactly sectioned off by genre since they were scattered within reasonable walking-distance across red, green, blue, and yellow color-coded indoor and outdoor stages. Eclectic was an understatement here. You could have hung out with local rap legends at the Welcome to Houston set and catch Run the Jewels at the end of the night. Or hang out with Chelsea Wolfe as she screams into her guitar then experience the return of music veterans The Jesus and Mary Chain. Nestled inside during the Aphex Twin chaos, the humble legend John Carpenter swayed a smaller, more intimate crowd with his vast collection of themes in electronica form. And things got strange with S U R I V E, followed by killer sets all around by RZA, Travis Scott, and the reunion of the Butthole Surfers.

A few light installations even received pop-up performances, such as local audiovisual musician James Templeton of LIMB bringing the house down in the Octa room, a collaborative installation with visual artists Eric Todd and Daniel Schaeffer that included eight surrounding speakers and 12 overhead Kinect light sensors triggered live by Ableton over OSC. Nonotak Shiro was also peak audiovisual symbiosis with their symphony of live ambient sounds against blazing white lights and mirrors.

It’s that combined vibe of well-curated music and art that helped solidify this young event as one of the top festival destinations for lovers of sound and light. Did any of you guys go to Day for Night? Are you planning to hit it up next year? Let us know below!

Featured Image: Roger Ho courtesy Free Press Houston

]]>A Day For Night Festival Mixes Björk, Aphex Twin, and Visual Art (Playlist Preview)http://nerdist.com/a-day-for-night-festival-mixes-bjork-aphex-twin-and-visual-art-playlist-preview/
Tue, 13 Dec 2016 12:00:46 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=464673This weekend marks the return of a unique hybrid festival experience. ICYDK: Day for Night is the next-gen of music festivals. Hailed as “the festival of the future” by the EDM guides over at The Department of Dance, the three-day long event in Houston, TX glides into its second year with a bunch of hype. We’ll be covering the complete festival, but for now we’re sharing a Spotify playlist featuring a few of our favorite highlighted sound artists included this year.

We’re all about solid festivals–give us a couple of legit bands and a mind-blowing experience, and our entire year will be made! But recently some music festivals have become a bit predictable, a bit outdated. Different tastes in concert experiences have pushed for more options on the festival front. And that’s basically how Day for Night was born.

It became clear early on that Day for Night wasn’t just about serving up the biggest names. The goal here is to bridge twenty-first century art and music that explore light, space, and sound in order to curate a completely unique and immersive festival experience. In its inaugural event in 2015, Day for Night racked in 21,000 attendees in two days at its home base of Houston with 43 bands and 20 visual artists across three stages.

Creative Director Alex Czetwertynski and Founder Omar Afra (who also founded Houston’s acclaimed Free Press Summer Fest) have built a serious vision that encourages everyone to travel through the different facets of light and sound seamlessly. “We believe disassociating art and music is boring. With dozens of art installations throughout our festival campus, you can explore awe inspiring installations when you’re not dancing to the music.”

It’s still definitely a dance party, heavy on the EDM side. Music headliners from Day for Night 2015 ranged in style and notoriety with the likes of Kendrick Lamar, New Order, Philip Glass, and Flying Lotus. But there’s so much more than just the music aspect to explore at Day for Night. For the price of a weekend-long ticket, fans of big name headliners are exposed to a surprising collection of lesser-known artists and their curated installations that tie into the tech-driven aspect of the festival. And that unity of art and tech within a festival venue definitely attracted a lot of hungry musicians and artists.

This year Day for Night will feature over 60 experimental musicians and 14 visual artists. Obviously, the playing field to support everything is much larger than last year—a massive 1.5 million square-feet retired Post Office building to be exact. On the sound side, this year’s main attraction is the stage return of Aphex Twin. After drifting out of the live performance stage for eight years, producer Richard D. James will make his long-awaited return on Saturday night with a two-hour set.

Another undisputed headliner this year is the intensely immersive Björk Digital exhibition that will bring special film and VR installations like her 360 landscape VR app and that super awesome trip down Björk’s throat. In her own words, the Icelandic legend says that the narrative from her latest album, Vulnicura (2015), “is ideal for the private circus virtual reality is: a theatre able to capture the emotional landscape of it.”

Our playlist is just a sampling of the sound side of Day for Night 2016, as it vibrates at variegated frequencies. Special DJ sets from Björk open the festival during the preview party on Friday and returns for general admission on Sunday. Experimental goth vibes reign on Saturday with Chelsea Wolfe, The Jesus and Mary Chain, John Carpenter, and more. Synthwave, ambient, and rap take over with Squarepusher, Little Dragon, SURVIVE, RZA, and more on Sunday. The reunion of Texan natives, The Butthole Surfers, also help close out Sunday.

If you can make it, the final tier of tickets for Houston’s Day for Night are still on sale. Keep an eye on our Twitter feed this weekend for live coverage. And in case you’re taking a pass this year, the lineup for Day for Night 2017 will be announced ASAP next year on their website. Will you be attending Day for Night this year? What are your thoughts on the future of music festivals? Let us know below!

Featured Image and Videos: Day for Night

]]>5 Films to Look for at FANTASTIC FESThttp://nerdist.com/5-films-to-look-for-at-fantastic-fest/
Fri, 23 Sep 2016 13:00:12 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=441888Smack dab in the middle of the avowed cineaste’s beloved Toronto International Film Festival and the proud geek’s New York Comic Con, we find the unofficial love child of the pair: Fantastic Fest, Austin’s annual gift to any and all film nerds who’ve made a habit of reserving all their vacation days for late September. Since its inception in 2005, this foremost celebration of genre cinema has treated its eager visitors to national and global premieres of films like Zombieland, Human Centipede, Sharktopus, Antichrist, The ABCs of Death, The Congress (one of my very favorite films of the past few years), and Paul Thomas Anderson’s masterful There Will Be Blood. This year’s slate looks just as promising, and our own Dan Casey has opted to point out a few of the lineup’s highlights.

Assuming you’ve already been properly prepped for Fantastic Fest ’16 by our own Clarke Wolfe, you should be ready to dive into Dan’s quick tutorial about which movies to prioritize if you happen to be lucky enough to be on the scene in Austin, Texas. Rest assured, Dan’s recommendations are quite diverse. Among his five are an alien invasion thriller, an ennui-laden road trip drama, a (to borrow a phrase) Kaiju fever dream, an existential animated silent film, and a 1970s kung fu classic revamped with a contemporary hip hop score. Check out the video to hear more about this potpourri of big screen glory.

Of course, these are only five of the many worthwhile gems yet to be presented at this year’s Fantastic Fest. in below and let us know what’s on your radar!

Image: Paramount Pictures

]]>RZA Will Live-Score THE 36TH CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN, Watch the Trailerhttp://nerdist.com/rza-will-re-score-the-36th-chamber-of-shaolin-watch-the-trailer/
Tue, 20 Sep 2016 22:30:17 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=440953You know how people say that Pink Floyd’s album The Dark Side of the Moon syncs up perfectly with The Wizard of Oz? To play off that, The Flaming Lips created a companion album to Pink Floyd’s record that, sure, was made with Funny or Die for April Fools, but it still exists and actually syncs up. Now it’s Wu-Tang Clan member RZA’s turn to pay tribute to a piece of media that he loves with a complimentary piece of his own.

What RZA has done is create a new score for the classic kung-fu film The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, and now he’s ready to show the movie with his musical contributions. The trailer for the debut screening—presented by Nerdist and El Ray Network at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas on Sept. 29—doesn’t include any of the new score, but its use of Wu-Tang’s “Bring Da Ruckus” is a terrifically tantalizing teaser for the amazing awesomeness that’s to come.

Throughout their career, RZA and the rest of the Clan have been outspoken about their love of the movie, so much so that their debut album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), was partially inspired by it, at least in name. “Beyond the kung-fu, it was the reality of the situation that hit me,” RZA said. “Growing up as a black kid in America, I didn’t know that that kind of story had existed anywhere else.”

This is going to be an event, so if you’re unable to attend Fantastic Fest (ticket info here), you can see it later that day at Stateside Theatre at the Paramount in Austin (tickets), and on October 10 at the Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles (tickets).

Featured image: Shaw Brothers Studio

]]>Review: The RZA Returns in MAN WITH THE IRON FISTS 2! (Yes, really!)http://nerdist.com/review-the-rza-returns-in-man-with-the-iron-fists-2-yes-really/
Fri, 17 Apr 2015 02:30:35 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=242724A few years back, I found myself pleasantly surprised by the certifiably insane and consistently colorful action flick known as The Man with the Iron Fists. Despite a few (fairly obvious) flaws, it came across like an affectionate homage to martial arts movies (particularly some of the Shaw Brothers’ crazier concoctions) mixed with a kitchen-sink grindhouse fantasy film in which monstrous warriors, mystical wizards, and a drunken Russell Crowe somehow fit together quite nicely. Like any movie this bizarre, The Man with the Iron Fists made a quick exit from theaters, but also found itself a small but loyal fan base once it hit video.

Which certainly explains why we’re getting a video-shelf sequel a few years later. Nobody does “DTV sequels” quite like Universal — they do everything from Death Race to Dragonheart! — and apparently someone in their home video department noticed that The Man with the Iron Fists sold a lot of units. So here we are. Returning to pound more heads with his iron fists is producer / co-writer / star RZA, but don’t expect a whole lot of continuity between this entry and the last one. Mr. A has ceded the directorial reins to DTV veteran Roel Reine (12 Rounds 2, Scorpion King 3, etc.) this time around, and screenwriter John Jarrell (Romeo Must Die) steps in to assume the co-writing duties that once belonged to executive producer Eli Roth.

Got all that? Good. Because that, and a wildly limited budget, as well as some truly egregious editing choices, are what prevent The Man with the Iron Fists 2 from achieving the colorfully over-the-top tone that the first film delivered. For the most part, we’re stuck in a truly generic story about a small Chinese village that has been overrun by thugs who force everybody to work in the silver mines — until our mysterious blacksmith (RZA) comes floating down the river. A few of the villagers nurse the iron-fisted stranger back to health, so of course he decides to forge a bunch of weapons for the beleaguered townsfolk and lead a revolution against the horrid villains.

It’s all pretty straightforward, familiar, and poorly dubbed, truth be told. The consistently predictable plot could be overlooked if the first hour of the film offered anything else besides a few one-on-one kung fu fights and a persistently grating editorial style. (This movie has more random cuts than a Freddy Krueger victim.) Even when the filmmakers capture a nice shot of the Thailand-as-China countryside, it only sits on the screen for about six frames before we cut away to something else.

Fortunately for those who manage to muddle through the film’s first two-thirds, the big finale does offer a decent dose of onscreen action. Maybe it’s that the first hour of the film is so uneventful, or maybe it’s that 75% of the film’s budget went into Act III, but if we’re being fair, the last third of The Man with the Iron Fists 2 does boast a nice array of low-budget action, energy, and incongruous but strangely effective music. As an homage to the Saturday afternoon kung fu “classics” that we all know and love, this sequel doesn’t come close to the kooky craftsmanship and wild weirdness of its predecessor, but at least it goes out with a bang.

2 iron-fisted burritos for the whole movie. 2.5 if you watch just the third act.

]]>Who Will Direct the BLACK PANTHER for Marvel?http://nerdist.com/who-will-direct-the-black-panther-for-marvel/
http://nerdist.com/who-will-direct-the-black-panther-for-marvel/#commentsWed, 29 Oct 2014 20:30:50 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?p=196224In the wake of yesterday’s Marvel announcement, many people are guessing who could fill the boots of Captain Marvel, what’s coming in Phase IV and how great will Benedict Cumberbatch look in a goatee for Doctor Strange? Maybe that last one is just me, but the biggest question that we can start reasonably asking is who will direct Black Panther? While we can’t predict with certainty, we can certainly look at who may get pulled onto the short list.

During our Q&A with Kevin Feige after the announcements, I asked the mega-producer if they would be taking a closer look at minority and female directors for their first black and female led films. He responded, “Well, we are. We’re doing what we always do which is looking for the best filmmakers, the best writers; we’re looking for the best directors possible.”

While the films don’t necessarily have to be directed by a minority filmmaker, it would certainly go a long way to busting up Marvel’s current trend of all white, male directors. Black Panther is a character that is close to many people’s hearts and the film should be connected to the community it reflects. I specifically asked if Reggie Hudlin was involved in any of the talks as he was a writer on the Black Panther comics that successfully reintroduced T’Challa through the Marvel Knights imprint. Feige confirmed he was meeting with Hudlin, but did not elaborate whether it was as a writer, director or producer. Hudlin most recently produced Tarantino’s Django Unchained. If we had to guess, he would most likely be a producer on the film or contribute to the script as a writer, but his credits (House Party, Boomerang, Ladies Man) don’t exactly inspire one to hand Reggie a potentially nine-figure franchise. However, on Hudlin’s site there was this little gem of an image of Reggie, Halle Berry (w/eyes closed), Djimon Honsou and Anthony Russo of the Russo Brothers. Please note Anthony Russo is holding a copy of Captain America/Black Panther: Flags of our Fathers.

John Singleton had the gig in 2007, but it’s extremely doubtful Marvel would go back to that well as his version’s script is cited as one of the reasons the film hit a wall in development. In a 2011 interview to promote the release of the Marvel Knights motion comic, Reggie Hudlin had this to say on the state of Black Panther film scripts up to that point, “I remember reading some of those first scripts about the Black Panther, and they were horrible. There was one where he was African American, living in the projects and had no idea of his African heritage. I just found it simply incredibly offensive, and told the studio so, which I guess didn’t help me get attached to the film.”

One potential director for the film may also come from Hudlin. In 2012, Reggie Hudlin announced a partnership with RZA to produce comic book properties together, with RZA potentially directing several films. The lukewarm reception to his The Man with the Iron Fists may have put the kibosh on some of those plans, but the first-time filmmaker showed a very stylized sense of action that could make for a very interesting addition to the Marvel Universe.

Antoine Fuqua has worked on comic based properties before, developing a comic and script for After Dark with Wesley Snipes (the first actor attached to play T’Challa back in the early 2000’s at Columbia and then Lionsgate). While doing press for his film Olympus Has Fallen last year, the action director said he would direct Black Panther if the script was right. He told UrbanDaily, “With the right script, absolutely! As for casting, I’d always go straight for Denzel, if you’re talking about a certain type of character. Jamie Foxx, Wesley Snipes, Will Smith — we’ve got a handful of guys who are very powerful actors. We also have lots of talented African-American actors we’ve never even heard of.”

Even just a month ago, Denzel Washington had hopes of being involved in the film. When asked in a recent Reddit AMA what comic book character he would want to play, Washington responded, “Isn’t there a comic book, the Black Panther or something?”

With Chadwick Boseman now in place as the Prince of Wakanda, perhaps Denzel Washington would come on as T’Chaka, the King of Wakanda. A character who would eventually be killed by Klaw, the rumored role Andy Serkis is filling in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Or, while Antwon Fisher and The Great Debaters may not seem like Marvel movie material, Denzel Washington could be the right man to bring the comic to screen. In both of those films he directed young actors in great coming of age stories, which Black Panther would almost certainly be, focusing on T’Challa’s rise to lead after his father’s death, just hopefully with more action. Denzel’s experience on action sets with directors like Antoine Fuqua shouldn’t be counted out; he also served as producer on The Equalizer and The Book of Eli.

F. Gary Gray was in the running to direct Captain America: The Winter Soldier. There were no reports of ill-blood when the director pulled his name out of contention to focus on making Straight Outta Compton. Now that the NWA biopic is nearing the end of production, the director could conceivably take up Panther as his next project. The Negotiator and Italian Job director has such a diverse resume with political thrillers, comedy and action all on his filmography, he is an easy choice for Marvel to pull the trigger on. Gray was most recently attached to the video game adaptation Kane and Lynch, so there remain questions on his availability.

And finally, the name that comes up on every fan list for directing Black Panther is of course Spike Lee. The outspoken director was asked multiple times while doing press for his remake of Oldboy whether he would make a comic book or superhero film. In an interview with Screen Rant, he responded, “I’m never gonna say never but it has not happened yet.” But, during a Reddit AMA, he claimed he may have already made his super hero movie. “I did,” the director said. “Malcolm X….He didn’t wear tights or a cape. He didn’t fly through the air or transform. Yet he was considered that he had too much power for one man.”

Black Panther finally coming to cinemas is a huge leap towards diversity and equality in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, so let’s hope Marvel takes its own lead and applies those principles to their search for a director. Which director on this short list would you like to see take the reins of Marvel’s Black Panther? Who else should be up for the job? Sound off in the comments below.

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Image: Marvel

]]>http://nerdist.com/who-will-direct-the-black-panther-for-marvel/feed/7Jon Stewart Got the Wu-Tang Clan to Reunite, Perform on THE DAILY SHOW And It Was Magichttp://nerdist.com/jon-stewart-got-the-wu-tang-clan-to-reunite-perform-on-the-daily-show-and-it-was-magic/
http://nerdist.com/jon-stewart-got-the-wu-tang-clan-to-reunite-perform-on-the-daily-show-and-it-was-magic/#commentsFri, 08 Aug 2014 02:15:28 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?p=173099Jon Stewart is not exactly where we expected the Wu-Tang Clan to not only reunite but unleash a bevy of new details about their forthcoming album, but hey: people surprise us every day (and we are certainly not complaining).

Back in 2011, Wu-Tang Clan member Raekwon announced that the hip-hop super-mega group (which is seriously putting it lightly) would be working on a brand new album titled A Better Tomorrow. A worthy title, as the group possibly/maybe hinted that the record would be a new beginning of sorts. And on Wednesday night we were treated to our first glimpse of that tomorrow when Wu-Tang ended up reunited on stage at The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

The rap legends came together — yes, all nine members of the Wu-Tang Clan were in attendance, with Ol’ Dirty Bastard not far from anyone’s mind — to talk about the road to bringing A Better Tomorrow into the world. And it’s a big deal, as this is the first album from the group since 2007, aside from the $5 million secret album that was held in a vault in Morocco. Hinting at the very public beef between Raekwon and RZA in the lead-up to the album’s release, Stewart asked several questions about the challenges the group faced to both Raekwon and RZA.

But unity and brotherly love were the themes of the interview, ultimately, and any potential beef was nonexistent during the interview portion of the evening. Something that continued into the performance portion of the evening, where the group debuted their new single, “Ron O’Neal”.

Do you think this new Wu-Tang track holds up? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

]]>http://nerdist.com/jon-stewart-got-the-wu-tang-clan-to-reunite-perform-on-the-daily-show-and-it-was-magic/feed/2Review: THE PROTECTOR 2http://nerdist.com/review-the-protector-2/
Thu, 01 May 2014 23:15:05 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?p=138275The Tony Jaa vehicle The Protector 2 has some awesome fighting and feels – in a good way – that it has escaped from 1987. It’s still not that great, but it sure is entertaining.

If you are old enough to remember the year 1987 with clarity, then you will likely enjoy Prachya Pinkaew’s The Protector 2 all the more. The cheesy plot, extended fight sequences, and villainous ploys all read like a 9-year-old boy’s sizzle reel. A confession: I recently re-watched all five (yes, all five) of the American Ninja films, which were released between the years of 1985 and 1993; The Protector 2 has a story that could have been ported over from any one of those movies wholesale. For those of us of a certain age, those kinds of stories strike a nostalgic chord. For others… well, it may work for them too, as the clunky efficiency of the plot is just crazy enough to work. It’s not believable or smart or basically reasonable, but it holds all of the cheesiest action movies traditions just well enough.

Tony Jaa exploded into the action movie underground in 2003 with a little Thai action film called Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior. Jaa is easily one of the best movie martial artists currently working, and has made a deliberate point of staging his on-screen fights so that his virtuosic stunt work can be showcased. We can see his face, there are a minimum of wires, and no CGI. Remember the scene in Ong-Bak where he folded himself up and leaped through a coil of barbed wire? Many critics, however, have objected to the fact that a lot of the stunts in The Protector 2 have succumbed to the ever-encroaching CGI norm; Flying cars and motorcycles are exciting and all, but they’re far more exciting when they’re done with actual (i.e., not CGI) cars and motorcycles. Jaa’s “purity of action,” so to speak, is slightly interrupted in The Protector 2, opting for chintzy, 1996-era computer effects over anything practical. In my eye, the action still works well enough, although I do – as a general rule – prefer real stunts over animated ones.

The story is kind of hard to follow, so let’s see what I have nailed: Thailand’s best fighter Kham (Jaa) is a peaceful man who cares for nothing more than his pet elephant Khon (Peter). When the leader of an elephant camp (?) is murdered, Kham is suspected. It turns out that Kham was framed by the evil crime lord LC (RZA, starring in his second middling martial arts film in as many weeks), who not only kidnaps elephants, but who is gathering a collection of the world’s best fighters. Each of said fighters are tattooed and branded with a number, implying their rank in fighting-dom. Kham is to be #1, much to the chagrin of the nigh indestructible #2 (Marresse Crump) and the comely babe #20 (Rhatha Phongam). There are other numbers as well, like 14 and 45. LC has a plan to induct Kham, and use his pet elephant for hidden nefarious purposes.

Oh yes, and the slain elephant trainer also has a pair of kick-ass nieces (Jija Yanin and Theerada Kittisiripraset) who fight many of the numbered fighters using throwing darts. Those two are pretty cool, and reminded me of Hammer Girl and Baseball Boy from the recent The Raid 2.

Most of the fighting is effing spectacular, if a little loose. There is a scene wherein Kham and #2 fight one another on a subway track. One stands on one rail, and the other on the other. When their punches make contact, they sizzle with electricity. In another scene, Kham lights his feet on fire and kicks a bunch of guys. In the film’s most impressive sequence, Kham manages to fight off a bunch of guys on motorcycles. These scenes are great fun to watch, well-choreographed, and impressively staged.

But they are also completely illogical. How did those motorcycles get up on the roof, for instance? Also, wouldn’t lighting your feet on fire do more harm to you than to the man you’re kicking? And wouldn’t touching on an electric rail actually kill you? Nothing in The Protector 2 stands up to even the smallest amount of logical scrutiny.

So what we have at the end of the day is a common animal: The rock-stupid, totally fun action flick. There are better films within this camp (see Jackie Chan’s Rumble in the Bronx for one of its crown jewels), but this will serve.

Just to make sure we’re all on the same page, we’ve all seen the 2004 Luc Besson-produced, Pierre Morel-directed District B13, right? That film was a vehicle for its star, David Belle, and his then-newly invented form of acrobatics called parkour. Parkour (essentially the art of flying outdoor wall scrambling) has become something of an action movie standby in the ensuing decade, having made its way into Jason Bourne and James Bond movies, and even television commercials. The original film was something of a trifle – the story was pretty usual, and the characters typical – but it made a minor splash in action movie annals for its stunts.

Camille Delamarre’s Brick Mansions (also produced by Luc Besson) is a remake of District B13. It has largely the same story, most of the same main characters, and even features David Belle. Notable changes: The film is now in English. Belle’s original co-star, Cyril Rafaelli, has been replaced by the late Paul Walker. The film now takes place in a near-future Detroit instead of a near-future France. For the most part, though, it’s the same movie.

Which is fine, because Brick Mansions also ports over the clunky Eurotrash fun of the original wholesale. Belle, even a decade on, is still amazingly capable at his invented craft, has a wonderful physique, and is still a wonder to behold at what he does best: flinging himself bodily through tiny concrete apertures. Also, Paul Walker is a decidedly more charming leading man than his French counterpart, and he and Belle have a wonderful on-screen chemistry that relies on casual banter as much as it relies on equality of flipness. That was the magic of Paul Walker: he always looked like he was having a good time. The man is missed.

The story is a pretty simple sci-fi-ish setup, and should seem old hat to anyone who has seen Escape from New York: In 2018 Detroit, the crime-infested slums have been walled off from the rich portion of town. An evil drug dealer crime boss (RZA, good enough) has somehow acquired a neutron bomb (!) and has strapped it to a missile (!), planning to launch it at the rest of the city unless his demands are met. The police are largely corrupt and will not help. The only people who can stop him are a scrappy local parkour expert (Belle) and an undercover cop (Walker). They must work together to dispatch the bad guy’s minions, rescue Belle’s comely girlfriend (Catalina Denis), who has been chained to the rocket, and solve the mystery of how the bad guy got the bomb to begin with. I will not, of course, spoil the ending, although since this is a remake, you can kind of guess where things go.

Some fun details: Goûchy Boy plays a thug named K2, The RZA has a vicious minxy lesbian sadist thug played by Ayisha Issa, the car stunts are pretty awesome, and while technically this may mark the dialogue as “bad,” I do enjoy the weird near-ESL approach to some of the line readings. This may not be a verbatim quote, but I seem to recall the following exchange: “…And that is what I think.” “Well, then, you can just put me on the list.” “What list is that?” “The list of people who don’t care what you think.” It’s not exactly Lubitsch in here. Oh yes, and at one point, RZA, in a tribute to Bob Marley, actually says “Looks like I’m gonna have to shoot the sheriff and the deputy.” Snicker.

Indeed, the bulk of the script is pretty dumb. The dialogue is merely utilitarian, and the plot a bit extraneous. It drives the movie forward, but doesn’t offer much in the way of wit or common sense. One of the characters, for instance, who is seemingly irredeemable, becomes inexplicably re-staged as a hero late in the film.

From an objective standpoint, Brick Mansions is a clunky and hasty actioner. But that doesn’t mean that you won’t have a grand time watching it. It’s the kind of action movie whose forward momentum and clarity of B-movie purpose are strong enough to keep you lively and entertained for a good 90 minutes. It’s brisk, chipper, and good silly fun.

Rating: 3.5 Burritos

]]>http://nerdist.com/review-brick-mansions/feed/4Check Out The Latest Revenge Filled Trailer For Paul Walker’s BRICK MANSIONShttp://nerdist.com/check-out-the-latest-revenge-filled-trailer-for-paul-walkers-brick-mansions/
http://nerdist.com/check-out-the-latest-revenge-filled-trailer-for-paul-walkers-brick-mansions/#commentsThu, 20 Mar 2014 22:30:13 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?p=124807Last month, we got our first look at one of the final films Paul Walker completed before his tragic passing last year. The film, a remake of cult-hit District B13 called Brick Mansions, looked like the kind of action-extravaganza we all love to see from the Fast & Furious alum. Unfortunately, that first trailer did little to sell the emotional aspects of the film. That changes today with an all new Walker-heavy trailer that really steps up expectation:

“At least you’re gonna see it coming.”

That’s all anyone needs to hear to be sold on a movie like this: the promise of some beat downs and a sense of justice served. This film is no longer just some balls to the wall action remake; It’s also a revenge flick, and this trailer sells a completely different, but much more satisfying experience. No doubt it’s going to blow audiences away upon release.

Brick Mansions hits theaters April 25th.

]]>http://nerdist.com/check-out-the-latest-revenge-filled-trailer-for-paul-walkers-brick-mansions/feed/1Check Out The Trailer For DISTRICT B13 Remake BRICK MANSIONS with Paul Walkerhttp://nerdist.com/check-out-the-trailer-for-district-b13-remake-brick-mansions-with-paul-walker/
http://nerdist.com/check-out-the-trailer-for-district-b13-remake-brick-mansions-with-paul-walker/#commentsWed, 12 Feb 2014 17:45:07 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?p=114053When it comes to awesomeness, there are few films of recent memory that live up to the excellence of Pierre Morel’s District B13. With amazing choreography, stunt work and a story that really services the genre, District B13 is most certainly a modern day classic, which is all the more reason why everyone was concerned when an English language remake, Brick Mansions, was announced. But it seems with the first trailer now out, our fears might have been misguided.

Knowing something that looks this good was waiting in the wings before Paul Walker’s passing makes his death that much more heart breaking. The dude was on a serious upswing, and this remake looks amazing. It’s also nice to see David Belle’s still got it when it comes to all that awesome stunt work everyone loved from him in the original film.

If Brick Mansions is even half as good as this trailer seems to imply, then it’s going to kick some major ass at the theater come April. Walker looks like he’s having as much fun as he has on Fast & Furious, and Belle looks like he’s bringing his A game. Oh, and RZA, I mean come on, he just looks like he’s having the time of his live, doesn’t he?

This feels like a film not to be missed, so don’t when it hits theaters on April 28th.